9i He shrugged and said, "she deserves nothing more. Besides, why should I care what happens to her?" I nearly blew a gasket. " One, because
she is a woman, and you should always defend the helpless; and two, because she is your sister, and you should love her. Which it is clear that
you don't" I stated furiously. " Yah, well, she's drunk all the time anyways, and what can I do to stop it. If I cared." He said, still showing no
emotion. I was about to hit him, but Anala trumpeted, signaling that she wanted to deal with this cruel-beyond-measure brute. I sighed and
spoke. " Ah. I believe Anala would like to meet you." "what was that?" He asked incredulously. I dragged him by the neck, pinning his arm behind
his back, and bringing him outside. "That was the princess' royal elephant, Anala." I replied as calmly as I could. Oh, how badly I wanted to throw
him. This was worse than with Caleb. All he did was betray her( no small thing of course, but compared to this...). " I don't see any elephants."
He scoffed. Suddenly, Anala appeared and trumpeted. "Wh-What sort of tricks are you playing?" He asked with a quiver in his voice. I decided
to humor myself. " Tricks? Who's playing tricks?" I asked innocently, but I could not withhold a smirk as I turned to face Anala. " Anala, meet the
source of your distress. Him!" I said pointing to this monster that I was restraining. With a movement of her trunk, Anala swept him up. I
wanted to watch his thrashing, but I had more important things to attend to. I ran back to the shack. I heard that brute scream and a loud
thump on the ground, and smiled to myself. Serves him right.
I ran into the shack, and swiftly, but, gently as I could, picked up Alex. She screamed and fought, but I held on tight. I had to get her somewhere safe. Who
knows when that varmint would awaken and come looking for the princess. Anala trumpeted as I walked out the door holding Alex. As soon as I came out the
door, We were in Manjipoor. I just couldn't put her down yet. She looked as if she were about to break, and I was holding her she woke up.
"Please. Please don't hurt me. I-I'll do anything. All I own. I-I'm quite rich. Just... P-p-please." she pleaded. "I'm not doing anything! I would never hurt you!" I
said . "Please! Please stop!" She begged. "I am not touching you!" I said, shocked that she thought that I would. Then I realized that she didn't know who I
was. Her eyes were still closed, and she would not open them. "Can't you hear me? Don't you know my voice?" I asked, the pain coming through my voice. "It is
only me, Kuru, your humble servant and loyal adviser." I said painfully." Is it truly you, Kuru? Then I must be dead. But, why are you dead too, Kuru? Wait. Did
you try to save me again? You really have to stop risking your life to save me,you know." She said almost happily. " I will always risk my life to save you; and
you are not dead." I said with a shiver at the thought of her dying. "Then I must be dreaming. For it is warm here; and bright too. Not like that musty shack. And you are in my dream, Kuru! Does that not make you very happy?!" She said enthusiastically. " Yes, Princess. But you are not dreaming. This is real." I said with
a frown. She coiled up and said, "Then you are not Kuru. For he is not here, he is in Manjipoor. I wish with all my heart that he was here. He would take me out
of this shack; because I am trapped and can't get out. I wish that Kuru was here because he would soothe me with just a look. Make me calm by touching my
hand. He wouldn't tell me not to cry, but he'd say that it would be all right. And he'd sit there, and wipe all my tears away. Oh, if only I'd listened to him and
Amanda! I would be with them, and not in this dark shack. I want Kuru here because he'd be there for me. He's my very best friend, and I wish with all my
heart that he was here. " She finished sadly. I, of course, was crying a bit by now, and, unable to shake the emotion off my voice, I spoke. "Princess, Alex, please open your eyes! It is me. I am here."
Alex's P.O.V.
"Princess, Alex, please open your eyes! It is me. I am here." A voice said as the person who held me laid me down on the grass. I hesitantly opened my eyes,
and the first thing I saw was Kuru, looking staight into my eyes with care and concern. Behind him stood Anala, eating a plant. I looked all around me and saw
that I was in one of the grassy meadows of Manjipoor. I looked back to Kuru. "Kuru." I breathed. I started to faint, but Kuru was swift, and caught me with his
arm. I threw my left arm around his neck for support, and tried to shift into a more comfortable position. I moved towards him, and he helped me into his lap
with no more than hesitation as protest. He moved his left arm under my knees, and wrapped his right around my back. I lay there, with my head on his chest,
sobbing my heart out. His own tears fell on my head as I soaked his sh-vest? He's not wearing his vest. Which is strange; he never lets me see him without his
shirt on too. So where is his shirt? I glance to my wrist, and my gaze follows up my arm to my shoulder. Then it hit me; I was wearing his shirt. Oh no! how bad
does my dress look!? I soon fell asleep there, in his arms,sobbing my worries away, while he cried with me.